Beauty Product Reviews

Mild and effective but missing little something

I started using this moisturizer in my teens when my mom got an extra bottle as a free gift. I think it's a great basic moisturizer that absorbs well and doesn't cause breakouts. My makeup has always applies smoothly, and it keeps me hydrated all day.

So what's the problem? Well, since I've started branching out to other products, I've found others that are just as great that multi-task as anti-agers, brighteners, pore refiners, etc. Now that I've gotten older, I'd like a product that refines my skin as well as moisturizes. There are many that work to improve your skin throughout the day (or night) without having to use additional products. There are a couple that I have fallen in love with that have already made a big difference in my complexion that I never got with Clinique. I will still use this product in a pinch since it does work well, but there are better products out there for me!

Mixed feelings

I have used this product for years, and I always liked the texture. I have somewhat sensitive skin, but it never seemed to cause any problems. I typically used it every other day, and I could tell that my facing was getting grimy if I went without using it for a while. It has a nice scent, and my face always felt freshly scrubbed afterwards.

The only thing that bothers me is that I have used this scrub along with the Blemish Fighting Apricot Cleanser (creamy texture with sparse exfoliating granules) since high school, and I have had continual breakouts through my teens and 20's. I assumed that if I stopped using these products, my acne would only get worse since the salicylic acid was keeping pimples at bay. So I kept using it and dealt with pimples and blackheads because that was just what my skin did, right? Only recently have I branched out and tried other products, and I must say that my skin looks so much better! Now I'm kicking myself for being in a beauty rut for so long, and I'm left wondering if I would have had the same problems with acne if I had tried something else a lot sooner.

Overall, it's a good product, but I wouldn't hang my hat on its ability to fight blemishes. I have a brand new tube in the shower, so I now use it to exfoliate my feet. It does a great job on that, so all is not lost!

Too harsh for me

I have used the blemish and blackhead control scrub as well as the cleanser for years. I decided to try this when the scrub was sold out at my local drugstore. It has a nice smell and refreshing feel, but my skin reacted terribly to it. My cheeks turned a bright red, and my face felt tight and itchy. I have mildly sensitive skin, but I have never reacted like this to a facial product before. It may work great for others but not for me unfortunately. I ended up giving the entire tube to a friend.

Best eyeshadow ever, hands down!

I bought their Ammo eye palette some time last year, and I love it! I use about 3 or 4 of the more neutral colors daily, and I still have plenty left. They are highly pigmented, so only a little product is used for such great results. They apply smoothly and blend easily. Their bolder colors are awesome for evening, and I can't wait to try more. The more glittery shades can transfer a little sparkle to the rest of your face; however, I don't consider this a downside. :) Combined with UD's primer potion, my shadows never crease and look just as fresh at 8 PM as they do at 8 AM. This is hands down the best eyeshadow of all the brands I've tried!

Best eyeshadows ever, hands down!

I bought their Ammo eye palette some time last year, and I love it! I use about 3 or 4 of the more neutral colors daily, and I still have plenty left. I use Sin with many of the combinations to either highlight or to tone down/blend a darker color if I've gotten carried away. It's very versatile! I can also use it as an allover lid cover if I'm wanting a minimal makeup day. Even then, it's very pretty and natural. It has enough shimmer to make my eyes pop without being too glittery for daytime looks. I guess it doesn't look as impressive as some of the other flashy colors, but I think it's a must have for anyone's shadow collection.

Great for contact lens wearers!

I used Neutrogena's product for a long time, and even though it got the job done, my eyes were very sensitive to it. I typically had to take my contacts out just to remove my eye makeup because of a nasty film that was left over. Plus, it left an oily residue on my lids even after cleansing.

I received a sample of this, and I absolutely love it! The texture is much lighter and not as oily. It definitely does a great job at removing my waterproof eyeliner with just a swipe from a cotton ball. What I really love is that it doesn't irritate my eyes and contacts, so this one is definitely a keeper!

Great toner but a little to harsh for me

I used this toner as a teen when my skin was much oilier, and it was great. It's light and refreshing, and I could tell a difference in my skin's tone and texture with regular use. I stopped using it a few years ago, and I decided to reincorporate it into my skincare routine after receiving a sample. Well nowadays my skin has become combination, and I find that this toner is a little too harsh for me. My cheeks were irritated, and my entire face felt tight and dry after each use. I tried to tough it out for about a week, but I ended up with dry patches in places where I never had them. Plus I was using a lot more moisturizer to soothe the dryness, so unfortunately I had to discontinue using it. It really is a good product just not for me!

Best foundation I have ever used!

I had been using Clinique's Moisture Sheer Tint for the past 10 years as a foundation since I don't like anything heavy on my face. It has fairly light coverage so I would use concealer for the occasional pimple. I had been satisfied with my beauty routine for a while, but since I turned 30, I decided I needed to take better care of my skin. Not only am I beginning to develop fine lines around my eyes, I am struggling with adult acne around my jawline that requires even more makeup to cover.

I decided to try bareMinerals since it got rave reviews for offering great coverage while improving skin. There is no Sephora or similar store within driving distance that carries BE products, so I had to match my foundation online. It was more difficult than I thought it would be because I wasn't sure what my skin tone was (cool vs. warm, etc.). My face is fairly light and sensitive compared to the rest of my skin, and I usually have to keep SPF on during the summer or my face will burn terribly-and it never tans! My body, on the other hand, tends to burn but will tan pretty easily after gradual sun exposure. I wore the Sheer Tint in fair for a while, but it was a little too light, especially during the summer. I had to use tons of bronzer to match my face to my body. I switched to neutral, which was better during the summer, but in the winter tended to be a little too dark if I used too much.

On the BE site, there is a tool that helps you choose your skin tone. Honestly, it was no help to me. I didn't find that I looked like either the light or medium girls, so I figured I was somewhere in between. I was torn between choosing the fairly medium (light-medium with pink undertones) or medium beige (medium with neutral undertones). Since the fairly medium looked too pink, I decided to try the medium beige and hoped it wasn't too dark.

I am happy to say that my careful selection paid off. The medium beige matches my skin perfectly! Since it's the middle of winter, it is only slightly darker than my neck/chest, but it's not nearly as obvious as the Clinique. Plus, the warmth does give a little extra color, so I'm sure it will transition to summer just fine.

Overall, bareMinerals does exactly what it advertises. It offers buildable coverage with a soft finish. Even compared to a tinted moisturizer, it's very light. My skin looks luminous, and it doesn't settle into the fine lines around my eyes (all liquid foundations tend to do that on me). Plus I don't have an oily T-zone like I used to have with liquid foundations! No more blotting!

I like that the foundation acts as a concealer as well. I applied some to a few mild blemishes with the concealer brush, and it covered pretty well. I'm not sure if it would offer enough coverage for angry, red pimples, but hopefully I won't have very many of those in the future! I love this stuff!

Smooth application, long wearing, no smudges!

I love this eye pencil! Application is very smooth due to the creamy texture, which is a big plus in my book. Other pencils that I have used were dryer and tugged at my lash line which caused some irritation. After application, I find that it doesn't blend as well as non-waterproof formulas, which is to be expected I guess. It's only a minor flaw that is probably my fault since I usually use a q-tip instead of a proper liner brush. The only other issue is that it doesn't hold a point as long given the soft texture, and it requires more frequent sharpenings compared to other liners.

The bourbon color is a rich brown with a hint of sparkle that gives my eyes a little pop of glamour. It is great for my array of neutral brown shadows that I wear almost daily. It truly does last all day without smearing, smudging, or running into the fine creases under my eyes. This has been great for my contact lenses as well. I will definitely purchase this again!

Eye makeup essential!

Before buying this primer, my oily lids would crease terribly even though I have always used pricey shadows. Now my shadow easily lasts well into the evening. I won't say that it NEVER creases, but this usually occurs after ridiculously long wear or a particularly hot/humid day. I can probably count the times this has happened on my hands in the year that I have used this product though.

The primer has a matte finish that easily blends into my lid, and shadows apply smoothly. Unlike some of the other UD primers, this one is neutral, so the shadows are true to color and are more vibrant. This has become an essential product in my beauty routine. I highly recommend it!